Corneal Topographers: A Trusted Eye Diagnostic Partner

BlogJune 4, 2024•6 min read

A corneal topographer is a device for special photography used to display the size, shape, and power of the cornea's anterior and posterior surface and the cornea's thickness in various locations. The process of the corneal topography scan is simple as one individual will be seated facing the disc, chin, and forehead rest, keeping the head secured to get the clearest images. The scan may be completed in a few seconds but can be repeated a few times. The process is painless and nothing touches the eye during the scan. There are several conditions in which the corneal topography scan is used, such as scarring, injury, or infections that can damage the cornea, this leads to a change of shape, by topography the distortion change can be measured and its effect on vision. Topography is useful in finding astigmatism and cases of keratoconus, and tracking their progress. The most common application of topography nowadays is contact lens fitting, which is used to scan to measure the distortion. Additionally, in refractive surgery, it is used for the screening of the normal corneal shape, and patterns, and to rule out suspicious or keratoconic patterns. Post-operation, it is used to evaluate the changes in the cornea and check out any side effects like incomplete ablation, post excimer ectasia, or other complications. The impact of vision problems globally: The prevalence of vision impairments is having a huge impact on nations and personal economies. According to WHO, this burden has caused annual global productivity loss of about US$ 411 billion in purchasing power parity. The causes for the vision impairment can be multiple including refractive errors, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. The personal impact for young kids in school is delayed motor, language, social, and cognitive development which can cause lower levels of educational achievement. People of older generations may feel, social isolation, difficulty in walking, and other accidental risks. Quality of life is severely impacted by the vision impairment causing lower rates of employment and higher rates of depression and anxiety. Data by WHO, that 2.2 billion people are suffering from near or distant vision impairment, in at least 1 billion, it can be prevented or has yet to be addressed. Of this 1 billion people, 94 million are suffering from cataracts, the leading cause of impairment or blindness, 88.4 million have refractive error, 8 million have age-related macular degeneration, 7.7 million with glaucoma, 3.9 million for diabetic retinopathy, and 826 million caused by presbyopia. An effective strategy is needed for the proper intervention of these ophthalmological challenges. The promotion, prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation addresses the needs of these conditions. Most of the vision losses are easily preventable, like impairment caused by infection, trauma, unsafe treatments, nutrition-related diseases, etc. An effective strategy is needed for the proper intervention of these ophthalmological challenges. The promotion, prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation addresses the needs of these conditions. Most of the vision losses are easily preventable, like impairment caused by infection, trauma, unsafe treatments, nutrition-related diseases, etc. Figure 1: Main Conditions Causing Distance Vision Impairment Or Blindness, (In Millions), 2022

main conditions causing distance vision impairment

Source: WHO The computer-aided corneal topography plays a very important role in the diagnosis. The instrument generates a measurement known as simulated keratometry (SimK). The CorT topographic data can be used to measure refractive astigmatism more accurately. It also includes posterior corneal data. It proves to be invaluable for procedures like LASIK, PRK, Smile, or any other implantations. The early detection is necessary for tailored interventions for appropriate treatments. Growing geriatric population The aging population can have several health-related disorders including the ophthalmology related. Routine eye exams are necessary for better care and monitoring. Several eye disorders could lead to vision impairment or loss, one such cause is Cataracts. A cataract is developed in the lens causing blurry vision in the sight. It develops very slowly without causing any pain or suffering. The removal of cataracts is done by surgery very easily, but corneal topographers help to find appropriate intraocular lenses (IOL) by surgeons. Glaucoma is often caused by the heredity, age, diabetes, and some medication. It can also be caused by external factors like chemical injury, blunt objects, infections, etc. From scanning through corneal topographers patients can be diagnosed with forward shifting of the posterior and anterior corneal compared with healthy measures. The usage of corneal topographers is significantly dependent on the growth of the geriatric population around the world. The geriatric population around the world is significantly increasing in the last few years. The geriatric population in terms of percentage of the population, in the European Union (27 countries) had 20.700% in 2020, 20.984 in 2021, and 21.208 in 2022. In G20, having 11.811 in 2022, 12.119 in 2021, and 12.411% in 2022. The United States was 16.538% in 2020, 16.935% in 2021, and 17.341% in 2022. Figure 1: Elderly Population, Total, % Of Population, 2020 – 2022

Source: OECD The usage of corneal topography can be attributed to the accurate diagnosis of corneal disease and helps to regulate treatment plans, pre and post-operative surgical management, and assessment. Various clinical situations like corneal ulcers, keratoconus, corneal edema, corneal dystrophy, corneal degeneration, monocular diplopia, etc. can be diagnosed with corneal topographers. Corneal Topographer's Market Players, Updates And Products: In October 2023, Haag-Streit expanded to Japan with the establishment of Haag-Streit Japan K.K. This is strategic move by the company for strengthen its position in Asia, for delivering its diagnostic and surgical products. Further, the company launched EyeSuite software version i9.13 in May 2023, which displays OCT-based topography of the cornea's front and back surface, it enables the user for a customizable progression display of any measurement and analysis parameter available. Additionally, in October 2023, Bausch + Lomb Corporation, a leading global eye health company launched the SeeNa™ Optical Biometry and Topography System in the United States, it can capture nine key measurements necessary for evaluating patients’ eyes. In December 2023, Carl Zeiss announced the acquisition of the Dutch Ophthalmic Research Center, it would broaden its ophthalmic portfolio and range to addressing a wide variety of eye conditions. The other key prominent players in the market included Tomey USA, Enhanced Medical Services, Nidek-Intl, Grafton Optical, Schwind eye-tech-solutions, Eye Design Opticians, Western Ophthalmics, Jacqueline Burns Opticians, Arash, and Healio. Find some of our related studies: